On March 7 The Woman’s Club of Vista GFWC honored three Women of Achievement who are volunteers and community leaders for their community service: Julie Lowen, Nancy B Jones, and Eleanor Hutchins.
The event at the Community Room of Vista’s City Hall was attended by 90 people who enjoyed food, raffles, and silent auctions to raise funds for the Club’s scholarships program. The Club awards scholarships to graduating seniors from six Vista schools.
Julie Lowen is the Founder, President, and CEO at Children’s Paradise Preschool and Infant Centers. Nancy B Jones is a retired teacher who volunteers providing children’s programs at Alta Vista Botanical Gardens and Alamosa Park Elementary. Eleanor Hutchins has been a community volunteer with many organizations for over 40 years. Eleanor was named as Woman of the Year. Last year’s Woman of the Year, Mayor Judy Ritter, presented the pin to Eleanor, and March 8 was proclaimed as Eleanor’s day in Vista by the Vista City Council.
The 2019 Women of Achievement Kathy Brombacher and Carol Herrera also attended. Event chairmen were Tonya Brynie and Karen Rott.
About
The Woman’s Club of Vista was founded in 1916 and is celebrating over 100 years of service to our community. We were originally organized as the Woman’s Current Events Club, with the motto, “Along the friendly way we journey together to achieve the best things for country life.”
Our members organized and operated the Vista Library until 1931.
Members of The Woman’s Club were active in marking El Camino Real with guidepost bells and promoting Vista’s first Clean-Up Day.
In 1927, after affiliating with the State and General Federation of Women’s Clubs, members changed our name to The Woman’s Club of Vista.
The Woman’s Club built and dedicated a clubhouse in Vista in 1929. It served many purposes for the community including being opened to
the Camp Pendleton Marines during WWII as a canteen and service club. The Woman’s Club of Vista outgrew its clubhouse and in 1966 dedicated
a new 7,100 square foot clubhouse on Oak Drive.
Sponsored by the Woman’s Club in 1960, the Vista Junior Woman’s Club donated $1,000 toward the Brengle Terrace Park Amphitheater, installed a wooden sign for the Brengle Terrace Park playground, and paid for the first polio shot vaccines for children at a local clinic.
In 1980 The Woman’s Club began the first glass recycling service for Vista and created a “Hazardous Household Waste” pamphlet, printed
and distributed to over 25,000 residents. In the 1990’s, Keep America Beautiful and the United Nations Environmental Program recognized The Woman’s Club of Vista for planting over 700 oak tree seedlings in local parks.
Since The Woman’s Club of Vista sold the clubhouse in 2005, we have donated over $560,000 to 56 designated non-profit organizations.
Since then, the Club has also awarded $120,000 in scholarships.
In 2017 alone, we awarded scholarships to students graduating from Vista High School, Rancho Buena Vista High School, Guajome Park Academy, Mission Vista High School, Alta Vista High School, Murray High School, and North County Trade Tech High School.
Woman’s Club members give thousands of hours in volunteer service to local non-profit organizations. Member donations support groups such as veterans, the Women’s Resource Center, elementary school libraries, Heifer International, Operation Hope and Pennies for Pines.
The Club contributed to building the ponds and stream project at Alta Vista Botanical Gardens using funds from recycling, funded a rose-covered gazebo, and has provided free nature field trips for schoolchildren.
The Woman’s Club of Vista is affiliated with GFWC and CFWC, and is a member of Palomar District Women’s Clubs.
Visit web site https://www.womansclubofvista.org/about-us.html